“Respect the right to self-determination of Kashmiris,” says UN report.

United Nation has produced a report named ‘Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Kashmir’ analysing the situation from June 2016- April 2018. Giving recommendations to the authorities of India, OHCHR asked them to ‘fully respect India’s international human rights law obligations in Indian-administered Kashmir,’ and ‘respect the right to self-determination of Kashmiri people.’

In this report, the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights explores the various topics including pellet gun usage, lack of justice and excessive usage of force.

The reports also talk about the ‘enforced disappearance and sexual violence’ in the valley.

The highlights of this report are the ongoing serious human rights violations and patterns of impunity in Indian-Administered Kashmir particularly from July 2016 to April 2018. While it also raises significant human rights concerns in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir.

The report also said that the resolution to the political situation in Kashmir should entail a commitment to ending the cycles of violence and accountability for past and current human rights violations and abuses committed by all parties and redress for victims.

OHCHR also asked Governments of India and Pakistan to immediately cease all shelling and firing along the Line of Control and Working Boundary.

In the meantime, the report also asked to repeal the Armed forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act, 1990 and to establish independent, impartial and credible investigations to probe all civilian killings which have occurred since July 2016. In the reference to the Kashmiri Pandit exodus, the report asked to investigate all cases of abuses by armed groups since the late 1980’s. The report also stated that the immediate order to end of the use of pellet-firing shotguns in Jammu and Kashmir should be implemented.

Talking about the freedom of speech, the report stated that the end of restrictions on the movement of journalists and arbitrary bans of the publication of newspapers in Jammu and Kashmir is necessary.

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The Kashmir Walla is a monthly magazine and daily website of politics, culture, business and literature. We support and help initiate conversations around these themes with an aim to question the traditional mindsets, mainstream discourses and entrenched positions.